


A Traitor's Heartbeat

by madelegg



Series: To Kiss a Lover, to Kiss a Friend [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Internal Conflict, Kings & Queens, Kissing, M/M, Trials
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:48:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21773233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madelegg/pseuds/madelegg
Summary: Dimitri is called to hold trial over a proven traitor to the Kingdom of Faerghus, but he does not want more human blood on his hands.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Claude von Riegan, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Series: To Kiss a Lover, to Kiss a Friend [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1567870
Comments: 6
Kudos: 77





	A Traitor's Heartbeat

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for this fic was Dimiclaude kissing to give up control.

Dimitri had seen many court trials in his lifetime, some at his father’s side, some at Rodrigue’s, seeing sentences handed down while he took notes to write essays for his tutor afterwards. Every time, he was reminded that it would soon be him in that throne, passing down the judgement his father had passed down. Soon these lives would be decided by his hand; he would play god, decide who lived and who died. Oh how he had felt so prepared for it in his youth, unaware of what death really was, sure he could make such decisions without issue. All those sentenced to death were criminals, those pardoned were innocent; it seemed so simple. His father’s word was more than law.

But now he was all too aware of what death entailed, having spilled the lifeblood of strangers and friends, lived on it like water through the war. Through their deaths, he survived, over and over, he had taken so he could take another step. For years those steps had been toward more death. Now that it was all over and he did nothing but strive to pay penance, he did everything he could to step toward life.

But death was part of a King’s duties, and one that he could not shirk.

On trial stood a traitor, a spy who had fed information to Cornelia about him during her time in power. He had openly proclaimed his loyalty to her, even now, kneeling in the throne room, wrists and ankles shackled behind him.

“Kill me if you must,” he had said, spitting on the cold stone floor. “I will never swear fealty to a beast like you.”

If a trial could be black and white, this choice could not be more obvious. He was a traitor. The punishment for treason was death. It always had been. And yet, on the prisoner’s cold eyes, Dimitri saw a man who fought for what he believed in. A man, like any other, who was born and lived on this earth, suffered his own struggles, and chose his own values. Such loyalty, even if it was not to Dimitri, was honorable. This man, like every person, every citizen, had only wanted a better life for him and his loved ones.

And that was why, to the dismay of his court, he had called to postpone the sentencing until tomorrow to give him time to deliberate.

His advisors had nearly gone ballistic. If he could not make a decision on such a clearly guilty prisoner, then what hope did they have on the rest of the prisoners awaiting trial in the dungeons? Those with weak alibis, those proclaiming their innocence, those with dubious evidence, and those with no evidence at all. Support for King Dimitri was already rather fragile, and his reign had only just begun.

But Dimitri ignored his advisors, waving them off in dismissal. It was more than just this one traitor, more than guilt versus innocence. Because as he retired to his bedroom that evening, he looked at his hands and could see the blood still stained there in his mind.

Claude was already there, curled up in bed, waiting for Dimitri to join him after the long day, but Dimitri only sat on the edge of his bed, lacking the energy to even remove his clothes before putting his head in his hands and gripping fistfuls of his own hair.

Claude crawled over to him and pressed his chest to Dimitri’s back, sliding his hands around his lover’s waist and rocking him slowly back and forth. He nuzzled into the back of Dimitri’s neck.

“Talk to me,” he whispered. 

It took Dimitri a few quiet moments to work up the strength to respond.

“I cannot condemn that traitor to death,” he admitted. “He is guilty. He deserves the punishment that all traitors get. He knew the risks of his actions and has accepted them. But I cannot do it.”

Claude didn’t need him to explain it. They’d had this talk many times. Claude knew why Dimitri couldn’t do it. He knew Dimitri’s hands dripped, the corners of his eyes clogged with the crowds of those he killed.

“They swarm me, Claude,” Dimitri whispered. “I fear I cannot fit more in this army of spirits.”

Claude shifted to Dimitri’s side, on his knees, and gently pulled Dimitri’s hands from his face, cupping his cheek.

“You don’t have to,” he whispered. “You don’t have to anymore. I’ll do it. If you want me to, I’ll do it.”

Dimitri swallowed hard. He couldn’t give Claude that burden any more than he couldn’t give up his responsibility. Yet, to make the choice felt impossible. To say the words, to condemn the man, even if he did not perform the act, he was responsible nonetheless.

Claude gently wiped at the tears that Dimitri didn’t realize he was shedding.

“I’ll take your burdens,” Claude whispered. “Let me.”

Dimitri took a shaky breath and gently took Claude’s hand, pulling it to his lips and pressing a long kiss to his palm. Claude’s face softened into a smile.

“I’ll take care of it,” he said as Dimitri closed his eyes and rested his face in Claude’s hand. “I’ll take care of you.”


End file.
